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  10 shops in Boston selling stuff you totally don’t need

  Some shops are about the essentials. These are where you start considering a vintage silk scarf, an antique map or a fountain pen that deserves better handwriting than yours. These ten shops around Boston, Cambridge and Somerville reward a little aimless browsing. Pick a neighborhood and make an afternoon of it: Topdrawer and Trident share Newbury Street, We Thieves and WardMaps are practically neighbors, and Magpie and Comicazi are both in Davis Square. No need to turn recreational shopping into a ten-stop assignment. 122 Charles Street, Beacon Hill Clothes, jewelry, and home objects from independent designers make December Thieves a good stop when your taste runs beyond the standard gift-shop shelf. Founder Lana Barakat works with small producers, and the selection includes leather accessories, statement earrings, fragrance, and decorative objects. Give the accessories as much attention as the clothing. A single earring or an unusual brooch is a smaller commitment than reorganizing your wardrobe around one coat. The current shop is at 122 Charles Street, so use that address when planning your visit. 273 Newbury Street, Back Bay Topdrawer makes a persuasive case for owning better pens, notebooks, and bags than your daily errands strictly require. Its selection includes fountain pens, leather journals, watercolor supplies, wallets, and house shoes. The stationery is the draw if you enjoy comparing paper and writing tools in person. You can assemble a small drawing kit here or spend considerably more on one pen. Look at the prices before getting attached. Pair the Newbury Street location with Trident farther along the same street. A coffee stop becomes a book purchase very easily at Trident. Bernie and Gail Flynn opened the bookstore and cafe at 338 Newbury Street in 1984, and it remains a family business. You can come looking for a specific title or give yourself permission to browse while deciding whether this is also going to become lunch. Trident is a useful place to pause between shops, particularly if your shopping companion has reached their limit before you have. Look over the bookstore’s event calendar before choosing a night: a talk or reading can give the visit a purpose beyond adding to the unread pile at home. 9 West Street, Downtown Crossing Brattle Book Shop has two floors of general used books, a third floor devoted to rare and antiquarian books, and an outdoor sale lot. That range matters: you can browse without treating every old hardcover as a serious investment. The pleasure is in coming across a subject you weren’t looking for. Leave time for the ordinary used-book shelves as well as the rarities. For a longer afternoon without buying anything else, our free and cheap things to do in Boston guide has more stops to consider. 676 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain On Centre covers a lot of gift territory: Jellycat stuffed animals, puzzles, stationery, kitchen towels, jewelry, and Jamaica Plain merchandise. It’s useful when you know the person you’re shopping for but have absolutely no idea what to get them. The neighborhood goods give you something more specific than a generic Boston souvenir. There are also cookbooks, drinkware, and small kitchen items if you need a host gift. Start there before deciding that the stuffed animal is somehow also for the host. Shopping by weight is still an option at The Garment District. In its By the Pound section, clothing costs $2 per pound, with men’s, women’s and children’s pieces mixed together. If you remember it as Dollar-A-Pound, that was the original name. The price has changed. The need to supply your own patience has not. Elsewhere in the building, clothing hangs on racks and Boston Costume handles the dressing-up possibilities. Choose your approach: browse the organized selection or spend time sorting through the by-weight stock. Check the section hours before making a special trip; By the Pound closes earlier than the rest of the store on Fridays. Vintage clothing is the main reason to visit We Thieves, with estate jewelry, scarves, bags and decorative objects providing additional distractions. The selection spans different decades rather than asking everyone to dress for the same imaginary year. Start with a piece you would actually wear, then see what else catches your attention. The shop is at 1735 Massachusetts Avenue, near Porter Square, rather than its former Inman Square address. WardMaps is just along the same block, which makes it easy to combine vintage clothes and old maps in one outing. Leave room in the afternoon to try things on; a familiar size on an old label tells you only so much. 1731 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge WardMaps sells antique maps, reproductions, vintage transit memorabilia, and MBTA-themed gifts. It’s a particularly good stop for someone who has strong opinions about both neighborhood boundaries and public transportation. Look for a map of somewhere you’ve lived, compare old street plans, or browse the cartographic mugs and other smaller gifts. Check whether a piece is an original or a reproduction before buying; the distinction matters to both the price and what you’re taking home. We Thieves is just along the same block. Magpie stocks jewelry, greeting cards, art, stationery and housewares, with an emphasis on independent designers and makers from New England and beyond. The shop says most of its selection is available in person, so the website only gives you part of the picture. At 416 Highland Avenue in Davis Square, it is a useful stop for a small gift when you would rather see several possibilities than order the first thing that appears online. Give the cards a look, too. Comicazi is nearby if your shopping interests extend from handmade goods to superheroes. Comics and collectible figures give Comicazi plenty of material for purchases that require explaining when you get home. The shop is at 407 Highland Avenue in Davis Square, close enough to Magpie to visit both without planning another leg of the day. If you are buying for someone else, find out which character or series they actually follow. A little specificity helps more than a vague memory that they like Marvel. For your own shelf, measure the available space before falling for a large figure. Spider-Man does not get a separate room.

  By Michelle McCormack

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  10 classes in Boston to meet people and get creative

  Meeting people is easier when you have something to talk about besides where you work. A dropped stitch, a first attempt at pottery or a scene that goes nowhere will do. A class gives you a shared activity, and a weekly course gives you a reason to see the same people again. These classes in Boston and nearby cities cover cooking, writing, dance and making things with your hands. Pick a subject you actually want to learn. You might meet someone you want to see again, but the class should still feel worthwhile if all you leave with is a slightly uneven bowl. Selfup’s Boston classes put you to work in the kitchen before you sit down to eat. The Boston calendar includes pasta, sushi and other menus, so choose the food you want to learn rather than a title that simply sounds like a good night out. Read the menu and ask about dietary restrictions before paying; an instructor cannot necessarily change the whole meal on arrival. Pottery with a Purpose runs beginner hand-building workshops at changing venues, including breweries and cafes. Its Massachusetts listings identify the location and project for each event. Check whether your class uses air-dry clay or ceramic clay and how finishing or firing works. Making a decorative object and making a mug you can drink from are different projects. CandleLux now lists its workshops on Newbury Street in Boston. In a candle-making session, you choose a vessel and scent and pour a soy-wax candle with guidance from the team. Perfume and cologne workshops are also offered. Check the booking details for the exact address, format and collection arrangements rather than relying on the company’s former Brookline location. Cambridge Center for Adult Education is worth checking if you want to learn how to make something useful with wood. Search its current course catalog for an introductory class that fits your experience. Its woodworking open shop is intended for people with prior experience or an introductory course behind them. Materials can be an additional expense, so include them when comparing the price with another class. At gather here in Cambridge’s Inman Square, the class calendar covers sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery and other crafts. Choose a basics class if you are starting from scratch, then read the supply requirements before buying yarn or fabric. The shop’s class calendar is the place to match your project to your skill level. Learning to thread a machine is a reasonable starting point; nobody needs to arrive with a finished wardrobe. Urbanity’s adult program offers seasonal courses in styles including contemporary, hip-hop and ballet. For beginners, those structured sessions are the place to start. The adult class page distinguishes them from drop-in classes aimed at more experienced dancers. Check the level and studio location carefully. Taking a class that teaches the foundations is more useful than spending the whole hour trying to keep up. Artisans Asylum at 96 Holton Street offers classes and training through its workshops. Use the class catalog to choose a specific skill, then check the upcoming calendar for a scheduled session. Read prerequisites and tool-training requirements before enrolling. A class and independent access to a workshop are different arrangements, so ask what you will be able to do after the lesson if you want to continue your project. The Museum of Fine Arts teaches adults as well as displaying their work. Its studio art program includes weekly drawing, watercolor, acrylic painting, printmaking and mixed-media classes. Choose the medium and level that interest you, then check materials and registration requirements. A recurring class gives you time to see your own work change and to become familiar with the people working beside you. Improv Asylum’s Level 1 course is designed for people who have never taken improv before. Over eight weeks, games and exercises lead into making scenes together. You do not need to turn up with jokes prepared. The class schedule lists the available sections. Confirm the class location rather than assuming it is at the performance theater, and choose a time you can attend consistently. GrubStreet offers short workshops and longer courses, including beginner-friendly options. Browse its writing classes by the kind of work you want to make, whether that is fiction, nonfiction or poetry, and check whether the course meets in person or online. Some classes focus on generating new work; others involve discussing drafts. Read the description so you know what, if anything, to bring to the first meeting. Choosing classes in Boston A single workshop is a manageable way to try something new. A course over several weeks is the better choice if you want time to practice and get to know classmates. Check the level, location and full cost before enrolling, including materials, firing, tools or any other separate charges. Choose an in-person public class if meeting new people is the point; a private group booking and an online course serve different purposes. For inexpensive plans between classes, our free and cheap Boston outings offer more ways to get out without committing to another course.

  By Michelle McCormack

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  10 best restaurants in Boston

  Dinner at Tres Gatos can end with a new record. At Comfort Kitchen, the table might fill with jerk jackfruit sliders, Nepali-style beef and prawn curry. At Deuxave, you can give the evening over to five courses and let someone else make the decisions. Our best restaurants in Boston list covers different kinds of nights, from biscuits and bourbon to a tasting menu. Choose the food first, then the setting. A room built for sharing plates with friends is a different proposition from a long anniversary dinner. Buttermilk & Bourbon makes a strong argument for ordering biscuits before you have worked out the rest of dinner. The warm honey-glazed biscuits come with smoked cinnamon butter and pimento cheese spread. New Orleans barbecue shrimp with cheddar grits and fried chicken sliders continue the Southern direction of the Back Bay menu. Weekend brunch adds chicken and waffles and biscuits with sausage gravy. Pick the Boston location when reserving; there is also a Watertown restaurant. UNI gives you a choice between ordering à la carte and committing to a tasting menu. That matters if one person wants to choose every plate and another would rather hand the evening to the kitchen. The Commonwealth Avenue restaurant’s daily tasting menu is $225 per person, with an optional beverage pairing charged separately. It also offers a chef’s-choice family-style meal by arrangement. Discuss the budget and dietary requirements with the restaurant before settling on that format. Comfort Kitchen in Upham’s Corner connects ingredients and cooking traditions of the African diaspora with Asia and the Americas. The menu makes that idea concrete: jerk jackfruit roti sliders, Nepali-style marinated beef and prawn curry with coconut and timur chili oil. The kitchen encourages sharing as plates arrive. Dinner, weekend brunch and the limited weekday café service have different schedules, so choose the visit you actually want. The small dining room, full bar and outdoor patio offer several ways to spend time here. Fox & the Knife is Karen Akunowicz’s South Boston restaurant for handmade pasta, antipasti and an aperitivo before dinner. Its attention to Italian food and drink extends to an amaro program, giving you a reason to stay after the plates are cleared. Reservations open 30 days ahead, but the restaurant also saves its bar for walk-ins and serves the full menu there. That makes it worth considering when a dining-room table is unavailable. At Eataly, head upstairs to Terra for a meal built around the wood-burning grill. The restaurant’s menu includes grilled beef, prawns and artichokes, with Italian wine and seasonal cocktails alongside them. It suits a longer lunch or dinner in Back Bay, particularly if you want to browse the food market in the same visit. Terra is a distinct restaurant within Eataly; reserve it by name rather than assuming any table in the building is the same experience. Yvonne’s occupies the former Locke-Ober space, with dark wood, bookshelves and a library room that makes dinner feel like an occasion before anything arrives. The food is intended for sharing, from crab beignets and chicken-quinoa meatballs to larger dishes for the table. Come with people who are happy to order together. The room and cocktails are part of the appeal, so this is a better choice for a sociable evening downtown than a hurried plate before heading elsewhere. Tres Gatos combines a Spanish-inspired tapas restaurant with a book and music shop in Jamaica Plain. You can make dinner and browsing part of the same visit, which is a fairly persuasive alternative to waiting for a table while staring at your phone. The kitchen’s shared-plate approach works well with a few people willing to order across the menu. Leave time for the shop, rather than treating it as decoration on the way to your seat. Toro’s South End dining room is built around Barcelona-inspired hot and cold tapas. Order several plates across the menu and share them, rather than treating each small dish as someone’s individual dinner. The drinks include classic-inspired cocktails and natural wines. Chef Ken Oringer created Toro in 2005, and its Spanish focus gives this list a different sort of meal from the pasta restaurants and tasting menus. It is a choice for people who like a table with plenty to pass around. Deuxave sits at Commonwealth and Massachusetts avenues and serves modern Italian-French cooking. The menu ranges from lobster gnocchi fricassée and duck confit to potato-crusted halibut and handmade pasta. You can order individual courses or choose the seasonal five-course tasting menu, which requires the whole table to participate. This is a place to set aside time for dinner. Look at the wine and nonalcoholic pairing options if you want the restaurant to handle those decisions, too. The Banks Seafood & Steak is on Stuart Street in Back Bay, with a menu broad enough for the oyster person and the steak person to agree on dinner. Clam chowder comes with Berkshire pork belly; lobster rolls can be hot or cold. There are also steaks and whole fish. The restaurant serves weekday lunch and weekend brunch as well as dinner, so you can fit it around a daytime visit to the neighborhood rather than saving it for a late reservation. If a restaurant you want is booked, our reservation guide explains release times and walk-in options at six other Boston-area restaurants. Check the full cost of tasting menus, including service charges and drinks, before choosing one for a group.

  By Michelle McCormack

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  Boston has a floating oyster bar and dinner cruises too

  At The Tall Ship, the boat is part of the bar. On a Boston dinner cruise, it is also your ride for the evening. That is the first decision to make when planning drinks or dinner on the harbor: do you want to watch the water, or move across it? Boston’s floating oyster bar is The Tall Ship in East Boston. City Cruises offers a separate option for a meal aboard a moving vessel, with menus and boarding arrangements tied to a specific sailing. Both put the harbor into the evening, but they are different bookings. A dinner-cruise ticket should not be treated as a promise of oysters. The Tall Ship is a 245-foot vessel moored at Pier One in East Boston, with bars aboard and a larger waterfront venue alongside it. You come for the skyline across the harbor, drinks and food; the ship does not take you on a sightseeing trip. The adjoining pier hosts entertainment, pop-ups and events, so check what is scheduled for the day you plan to visit. The food menu includes freshly shucked oysters, shrimp cocktail and poke bowls, with tacos, pizza and other options for people who would rather skip the raw bar. Oyster varieties and individual dishes can change. Decide whether you want a few things to share or a substantial meal before ordering around the table, and check what is being served that day. The Tall Ship’s reserved lounges are group bookings with a minimum spend and a separate nonrefundable booking fee. They are not interchangeable with an ordinary restaurant reservation for two. Read the terms for your selected space, including the time limit and number of guests, before dividing the expected bill among friends. The venue is at 1 East Pier Drive, within walking distance of Maverick on the Blue Line. Its transport information also lists water options, including a weather-dependent boat shuttle. Check the operator’s actual service for your arrival and return rather than relying on an old fare or assumed departure time. Confirm seasonal opening arrangements before making an off-season plan. The Boston Signature Dinner Cruise offers a buffet meal, a DJ and harbor views during a sailing listed as two to three hours, according to the selected schedule. Drinks from the bar are available to purchase. This is the choice when you want the trip itself to occupy the evening, with dinner and entertainment already part of the plan. The Signature cruise lists departure from Commonwealth Pier at 200 Seaport Boulevard. Other products can have different arrangements, so use the meeting point on your own booking. Review the menu, what the ticket includes and any optional upgrades before paying. The operator lists window-table reservations as an upgrade; do not assume that choosing a dinner cruise automatically puts your table against the glass. Plan around the boat Check the date, arrival point and cancellation terms before paying. For a cruise, distinguish boarding time from departure time and leave room for the trip to the dock. For The Tall Ship, look at the event calendar as well as the menu, particularly if you want a conversation more than a party. Ask about access to the specific deck or seating area if stairs, gangways or uneven surfaces would affect your visit. Check how dietary requirements are handled before buying a cruise ticket or arranging food for a group. A published menu can tell you what is offered; it cannot resolve an individual allergy question. Bring a layer for exposed decks, even if the walk from the T feels warm. If the forecast makes an outdoor evening unappealing, our Boston speakeasy guide gives you indoor alternatives. There is no prize for finishing a cocktail while pretending not to be cold.

  By Michelle McCormack

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  10 free and cheap things to do in Boston

  Thursday is a good day to like art in Boston. Both the ICA and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum offer free evening admission, and on the third Thursday of the month the MFA lets you pay what you wish, starting at $5. You still need to sort out tickets. You do not need to make an expensive evening of it. These free and cheap things to do in Boston include places you can visit whenever they are open and others where the timing matters. Cambridge gets a spot, too, because passing up the Harvard Art Museums on a technicality would be a waste. The red line through downtown, the North End and Charlestown connects 16 historic sites over 2.5 miles. Following it yourself costs nothing; some buildings charge admission, and guided tours cost extra. Pick a section if you would rather spend time looking than finish the whole route. Boston Common, the Granary Burying Ground and the exterior of the Old State House make a manageable start without committing to a walk across the river. The MFA’s third-Thursday evenings start at 5 p.m., with pay-what-you-wish admission from $5. Those tickets are sold in person that evening. Massachusetts residents also get free general admission on designated holiday open-house days; check the museum’s calendar for the dates and bring proof of your Massachusetts ZIP code. These are useful ways to return for a few galleries instead of feeling obliged to see an entire museum in one visit. You can spend an afternoon in the Public Garden without buying a Swan Boat ticket. Walk around the lagoon, look at the flower beds, find the Make Way for Ducklings sculpture, then take a bench. The garden opened in 1837 and is still a very good answer to having an hour to fill downtown. The boats operate seasonally and charge separately; the park itself is the free part. The Central Library in Copley Square has a courtyard, murals and a reading room grand enough to distract you from your book. Bates Hall has green lamps, long tables and a 50-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling, but it remains a working reading room. Keep conversations low. The library’s free Bloomberg Connects guide adds an audio tour if you want to know what you are looking at beyond “a very nice ceiling.” The Gardner offers free admission every Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., with tickets released two days beforehand. Reserve before making the trip. The courtyard alone is reason to slow down, but leave time for the rooms around it and the collection inside them. Visitors under 18 receive free admission generally, so families do not have to restrict their visit to a Thursday evening. The Harvard Art Museums in Cambridge are free whenever they are open. No Harvard affiliation is required. Start in the glass-roofed Calderwood Courtyard, then choose from more than 50 galleries across three floors. The museums normally open Tuesday through Sunday and close Mondays. Check in at visitor services on arrival; weekend advance registration is encouraged, although walk-ins are welcome. This is the easiest museum on the list to fit around your own schedule. Boarding USS Constitution in the Charlestown Navy Yard is free and first come, first served. Adults need a physical government-issued photo ID or passport, and visitors pass through security. Check the ship’s schedule before leaving: weather and operational duties can affect access. The separate museum nearby has suggested admission tiers, including a reduced option from free to $10. Its exhibits cover the ship and the people who served aboard it. Visiting the museum and boarding the ship are two different stops. Bring lunch and take the Esplanade’s riverside paths at your own pace. There are gardens, playgrounds and places to watch boats without renting one. Use the pedestrian bridges to reach the park across Storrow Drive, and keep an eye out for runners and bikes on shared routes. Public restrooms operate seasonally, from late spring to early fall, so a winter walk takes a little more planning than a summer picnic. The ICA’s free Thursday nights run from 5 to 9 p.m. and require advance tickets. It is a chance to try an exhibition you know nothing about without paying the usual adult admission. The museum sits directly on the Seaport waterfront, so allow time for a walk outside, too. Visitors 18 and younger get free admission generally; families should check the separate Play Date program for free adult admission with children. The Arnold Arboretum is free every day from sunrise to sunset. Its 281 acres give you room for a long walk, but you can also choose one section and spend time noticing individual trees. Pick up a map or use the Arboretum’s digital one before setting out. Plant labels turn an ordinary walk into a chance to identify what is growing around you, and the free Expeditions app adds more detail when a tree catches your attention. For more ideas beyond this list, see our guide to unusual things to do in Boston. Before buying a museum ticket, check your public library’s museum-pass program and any student or other admission benefits you qualify for. A free night can still require a reservation.

  By Michelle McCormack

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  5 best Korean BBQ restaurants in Boston

  Korean BBQ in Boston can mean settling in around a grill with several cuts of beef and pork, or ordering a plate of bulgogi with a bowl of stew. Those are different meals, and choosing the right restaurant starts with knowing which one you want. These five places cover Boston, Cambridge and Medford. Naksan has staff cook the meat for you. Sura offers all-you-can-eat barbecue. Seoul gives downtown diners barbecue combinations alongside a much broader menu. Gather people who are willing to share, then work out the order together. Naksan Korean BBQ is on Commonwealth Avenue, where staff handle the cooking at your table. Its beef and pork combinations come with egg soufflé and a choice of kimchi or soybean stew. For a bigger meal, the Grand Tour adds beef tartare with caviar, several beef cuts and ice cream. Japanese A5 Wagyu is another option. This is a place to look at the combinations before adding separate dishes. Let the size of your group and the cuts you want guide the order. Naksan’s reservation policy says Friday and Saturday dinner is walk-in only, and parties larger than seven should call. Sura Korean BBQ in Medford is the all-you-can-eat choice on this list. The Boston menu currently lists a $30 regular package and a $40 premium package per person, before additional charges such as tax and drinks. Everyone in the party must choose the same package. Premium adds short-rib options and beef tongue. You select meat from the self-service area and cook it at your table. The meal also includes the appetizer and salad bar and made-to-order Korean dishes, including pancakes and steamed egg. Reservations are offered. Start with a manageable selection; you can decide what to repeat after the first round. Korean Garden in Allston offers both tabletop barbecue and dishes cooked in the kitchen. The barbecue menu lists short ribs, beef brisket, pork belly, chicken and shrimp, with a minimum of two orders for table cooking. The broader menu includes kimchi pancakes, rice cakes, soups and bibimbap, which helps when a group wants more than grilled meat. Its posted hours run later Thursday through Saturday than on the other nights. Confirm the last kitchen order if you are heading over late; the closing time alone does not tell you when a full barbecue meal can still begin. Koreana gives Cambridge diners a tabletop barbecue option on Prospect Street near Central Square. The built-in grills have ventilation above the cooking area, and the menu includes galbi, bulgogi and pork belly. Seafood scallion pancakes, cold noodles and tofu stews give you several ways to round out the meat order. Choose it for a meal where the table is sharing, rather than trying to fit barbecue into a rushed lunch. Ask the restaurant about the grill setup and ordering requirements when arranging your visit. A pancake for the table and a couple of different meat dishes make a more varied starting point than everyone choosing the same thing. Seoul Restaurant on Cambridge Street offers Korean barbecue plates alongside sushi, noodles and stews. The barbecue combinations pair choices such as beef bulgogi, pork belly or LA kalbi with soft tofu stew, cold noodles or stone-pot bibimbap. That gives you a way to order barbecue as part of a complete individual meal. It is a useful downtown option when everyone wants a different dinner. One person can choose a barbecue combination while another orders soup or sushi. Reserve through the restaurant’s website if you are planning an evening visit, and specify what kind of meal you have in mind. Before booking Korean BBQ in Boston Ask for a barbecue table if you want the grill, and confirm any minimum order before sitting down. Compare the price of a meat combination with its recommended party size, rather than assuming every listed price is per person. At an all-you-can-eat restaurant, agree on the package with everyone at the table and order quantities you expect to finish. For drinks afterward, our Boston speakeasy guide includes choices in Boston and Somerville. If part of the group would rather skip barbecue, the restaurant guide offers shared plates and other dinner options.

  By Michelle McCormack